Every named lake, pond, river, and stream worth fishing in the Adirondack Park — with the species you'll find, the access you can count on, and the regions they sit in.
Panther Lake is a 45-acre water tucked into the western edge of the Old Forge township — far enough from the main Fulton Chain corridor to stay off most visitors' radar, but close enough to be worth the detour if you're working your way through the region's backwater ponds. No formal fish stocking records on file, which typically means natural brook trout populations or nothing at all; local anglers will know which. Access details are sparse in the DEC database, so expect either a short bushwhack or a seasonal logging road depending on the shoreline you approach from. Worth a call to the Old Forge Visitor Center before you commit the afternoon.
Payne Lake is a 20-acre pond in the Old Forge area — small enough to stay off most paddling itineraries, which likely keeps it quiet through the summer season. No fish species data on file with DEC, so assume it's either not stocked or fished lightly enough that catch records don't make it into the system. The lake sits in the working forest west of the main Old Forge corridor, where access typically means either private roads, hunting club boundaries, or unmarked logging trails — worth confirming land status and easements before planning a trip.
Pico Lake sits in the Old Forge region — a 34-acre water in the working heart of the western Adirondacks, surrounded by the patchwork of state land, private timber tracts, and seasonal camps that define this part of the Park. No fish species on record, which usually means either limited access or limited interest, though small bodies of water in this area often hold surprise populations of brook trout or perch that nobody's bothered to survey formally. The lake shares a name with a handful of other Adirondack waters — a reminder that many pond and lake names in the Park were recycled from camp to camp, often tied to family dogs, childhood nicknames, or inside jokes that outlasted the people who coined them. Access details are sparse; if you're heading in, confirm the route with local outfitters or the Old Forge Visitor Center before you commit to the hike.
Pleasant Lake is a 16-acre water tucked into the Old Forge township — small enough to feel private, large enough to paddle without circling endlessly. The lake sits in the working landscape west of the central Fulton Chain, where year-round camps and seasonal cabins share the shoreline with undeveloped stretches of mixed hardwood and hemlock. No formal fish surveys on record, but small Adirondack lakes in this zone typically hold warmwater species — bass, perch, panfish — rather than trout. Access and launch details vary by season and ownership; check locally before hauling a boat.
Poor Lake is a 16-acre pocket tucked into the Old Forge working forest — small, quiet, and named with the kind of frontier practicality that suggests it didn't offer much to early loggers or trappers passing through. No formal access or fish stocking records in the DEC system, which typically means private shoreline or minimal public infrastructure; if you're heading there, confirm access locally or via recent trip reports. The Old Forge region holds dozens of these small, lightly-documented waters between the bigger resort lakes and the deeper backcountry — some worth the effort, some living up to their names. A topo map and a conversation at an outfitter will tell you which category this one falls into.
